The Emporia weekly news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1881-1889, 1887-12-08
Dr. Giesy, of the Episcopal church.

Dr.. Giesy, of the Episcopal church.
Oficiated.
INTERSTATE COMMERCE. COMMISSION.
WASHINGTON, Dec. 1.-THE first an
nual report of the Interstate commerce
commission has been laid before the
secretary of the interior. 1t is printed
document Exclusive of tabular appen-
| dices which are not yet ready, of forty
three pages and bears the signatures
of all the commissioners. After dwell
ing briefly upon the magnitude of the
interest which the act undertakes to
regulate, the commission devotes a
country's transportatlons facilities
from the pack horse and dug
out of the early days to the
mammoth institutions of the present,
tracing back to their origin all those
grievances and abuses which finally
led to the passage of the Interstate act.
Under heading 1.-THE Carriers Subject
to its 1.-THE act) Jurisdiction the
commission expresses the opin-
ion that the express bust
ness done by the railroad COM
panies themselves is within the act.
Whether the express companies which
are independent of the railroads are
within the contemplation of the act is
more doubtful. In regard to the
sleeping car companies, live stock car
companies and oil companies which
transport in tank cars the
commission say that they are
as much subject to the temptation
to discriminate as the railroads are
for such action as it may choose TO take
in the premises. The long and short
haul clause is extensively discussed,
together with the reasons of the COM
missioners for temporarily Suspending
the provision in certain sections and
they say in part: 1.-THE considerations
which were influential in determining
when these temporary orders should
be granted were not more the relief of
the prevention of threatened dis
turbance of business interests in
certain localities, which by its
reflex action seemed liable to
embarrass seriously the entire coun-
try" Reviewing the railway opera
tiOns during the period which has
elapsed since the act took effect, the
commissioner feels warranted in saying
that while less has been done in the di-
rection OF bringing the freight tariffs
into conformity with the general rule
prescribed by the fourth section
than some persons perhaps ex-
pected, there has nevertheless
been gratifying advance in that di-
rectlOn and there is every reason to be-
lieve that this will continue. The COM
mission, after quoting that part of the
twelfth section, which empowers it to
enquire into the business of all com
important provision. and the commits
sion will, no doubt, have frequent oc-
casion to take action under it.
1t will not hesitate to do so in any case
in which a mischief of public import
ance Is thought to exist and which is
not likely to be brought to its attention
on complaint of a private prosecutor.
There IS every reason to believe, how
ever, that some of the most
in the railway service before
the passage of the act, and were in the
legislative mind as reasons for its en-
actment, have now almost ceased to
exist. One of these was the giving of
special and secret rebates. Complaints
Of unjust discrimination and the Civ
ing OF undue and unreasonable
preferences by the open rates are
still frequent, and it is not to be
denied that in the existing tariffs
there are many rates which. as COM
pared with others made by the same
carriers, seem to be unfair and OPP
presSiVe. but even as regards this
species of injustice the good effects of
the law are manifest. Being now COM
PEELED to justify their rates when called
on, the commission finds that it makes
the managers more cautious about do
ing Justice" On the subject of COM
plants, the report says that in a ma
jority of cases either the complainant
has been found to be mistaken in his
facts, or if wronged it has been
through carelessneSS or mistake of an
agent, which was readily corrected,
or if the facts presented case of diff
ference of opinion the parties, when
brought in communication succeeded
in finding some basis for settlement
without further investigation. This
method of disposing of COM
plants is believed by the commission
to be more useful than any other. The
commission urges the desirability of
uniform freight classification through
out the country, but doubts the ability
to reach the matter by legislation. The
commission says: t'The pooling of
freights and railroad earnings so far as
the commission has knowledge OF
information on the subject, came
pooling was only one of the sew
eral purposes had in view in forming
railroad associations, the leading assO-
Citations have been dissolved, but have
continued their existence for other OBJ
jects.
IN THE PRINTERS HANDS.
WASHINGTON, Dec. 2.-Secretary
Fairchild completed the preparations
for the annual report to congress. The
final pages were placed in the printers
hands to-day. He has been engaged in
this work almost exclusively for
month. The report. all in the secre-
tary's own handwriting, gives his
at considerable length. 1t will be
made public Immediately after its pre-
sentation to congress Wednesday after
noon. The Presidents message will
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